Aggression towards politicians rising in Belgium: report

Germany

The German papers praised the role of former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in Wednesday's release of human rights’ activists, including a German and Swedish citizen, in Turkey. Schröder's "mediation mission” to Turkey where he met President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in September led to a breakthrough in the case which started in July, Frankfurter Allgemeine reported.

Die Welt's front page pictured the leaders of the parties involved in ongoing federal coalition talks. They discussed climate and energy issues Thursday, and talks now shift to intentional affairs. Der Tagesspiegel reported the conservative CDU, the liberal FDP and the Greens could not reach an agreement on migration issues during their first round of exploratory talks. The leaders will try to resolve their dispute in a separate meeting, according to the report.

Spain

The Spanish senate will vote today on the government's plan to trigger Article 155 and strip Catalonia of its regional autonomy. Both El Pais and La Vanguardia say that Catalonia is now heading for an intervention by the Spanish government.

UK

The Guardian led with a survey by a leading business federation which shows high street sales falling at their fastest rate since the height of the recession in 2009. Households put the brakes on spending, the Confederation of British Industry suggests. Uncertainty around the Brexit negotiations also affected consumer confidence, the report says.

“Boris swears to protect citizens’ rights,” wrote the Daily Telegraph. The foreign secretary declared that rights of EU citizens in Britain will be protected "whatever happens" after Brexit. He made the offer in an address to the Belvedere Forum on Polish-UK relations last week.

The Times led with a story about two alleged members of banned far-right group, National Action, who were charged in connection with a plot to murder Labour MP Rosie Cooper. The men are due to appear in court Friday.

France

Le Monde and Le Figaro report that Laurent Wauquiez, a candidate to lead the party Les Républicains, wants to reinvent the center-right. Wauquiez, a favorite to become party chair, on Thursday officially launched his campaign for the leadership election in December.

Le Figaro’s front page covered the ongoing trial of Abdelkader Merah, who is accused of helping his brother Mohammed Merah plan the 2012 terror attack in Toulouse, which killed seven people. The paper carried insight into a “family carried away by radical Islam.”

Belgium

Belgian Ryanair pilots are threatening strikes over "bad working conditions" that would disrupt flights at Zaventem and Charleroi airports, De Tijd reports. The move comes after Ryanair pilots operating from the airline’s U.K. base rejected a low wage increase this week and Italian pilots planned a four-hour strike Friday.

Aggression toward politicians is becoming worse, according to a survey by Le Soir. MPs face an increasing number of insults and threats. Confidence in political institutions is reaching a low point in opinion polls, and this is reflected in the attitude of the electorate towards their representatives, the paper writes.